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Saif Hassan is among the many players Bangladesh have experimented with at the top of the order in Test cricket—yet he remains one who hasn’t quite managed to lock down the spot. Touted as a technically sound batter capable of playing long innings, Saif earned his Test debut against Pakistan in early 2020 following impressive performances in age-group and domestic cricket. However, his introduction to international cricket was far from ideal. He was dismissed for a duck in his very first innings and struggled to make an impact in the limited chances he received in 2021. After underwhelming performances in six Tests, the selectors moved on, and he found himself out of the national setup. Born in Bangladesh but raised in Saudi Arabia—where his father worked—Saif began taking cricket seriously after moving back to Bangladesh. Though known primarily for his red-ball credentials, he has also made efforts to adapt to the shorter formats. Despite going unsold in the 2018–19 Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), Saif eventually broke into the national team setup across formats. However, much like his Test journey, his T20I stint also failed to take off. Questions about his limited shot-making ability and a below-par strike rate led to a brief and unimpressive stay in the shortest format. Now on the fringes of national selection, Saif Hassan remains a player with potential yet to be fully realised on the international stage.
